Sonic cup gun

• US 20060040044A1
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation (Wagner Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation (Wagner Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Robens, Wayne, Zeigler, Timothy W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,724,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/8
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/004 comprising sensors for monitoring the delivery, e.g. by displaying the sensed value or generating an alarm B05B12/08 takes precedence; registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus in general G07C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/124 responsive to distance between spray apparatus and target
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/628 of variable length
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/68 Arrangements for adjusting the position of spray heads B05B15/628, B05B15/652, B05B15/656 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0861 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00

Abstract

A paint spray gun and range finder for positioning the gun with respect to a target surface to be sprayed. The range finder provides a user of the gun with information about the distance between the gun and the target surface, with different indications when the gun is too close, too far or distanced properly from the target surface to be sprayed. An acoustic range finder provides visual indications of the proximity of the gun to the target surface. Visual indications include a digital display of the distance from the target surface and may be frozen while the gun is spraying.

Claims

1. In a spray gun of the type for spraying paint and similar coatings on a target surface, the improvement comprising a sonic range finder in combination with the spray gun, wherein the range finder provides a user of the gun with information about the distance between the gun and the target surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the information provided by the range finder enables the user to position the gun at a desired distance from the target surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the range finder provides information in the form of a first visually perceptible image when the gun is at the desired distance from the target surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the range finder provides information in the form of a second visually perceptible image when the gun is less than the desired distance from the target surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the range finder provides information in the form of a third visually perceptible image when the gun is more than the desired distance from the target surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of the first, second, and third visually perceptible images are different from each other.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the information provided by the range finder is a visually perceptible image delivered at a readout on the gun.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the information provided in the visually perceptible image freezes when the spray gun is spraying.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the range finder is active when the spray gun is connected to a source of electricity.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the visually perceptible image includes a first state indicative of the gun being positioned at the desired distance from the target surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the visually perceptible image includes a second state indicative of the gun being positioned at less than the desired distance from the target surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the visually perceptible image includes a third state indicative of the gun being positioned at greater than the desired distance from the target surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the visually perceptible image comprises a display on the readout of an actual distance between the gun and the target surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the readout comprises one or more optical indicators and the visually perceptible image comprises selective illumination of one or more states of the one or more optical indicators.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the readout comprises at least one optical indicator having at least three visually distinguishable states, with each of the states corresponding to one of the positions of the gun at, closer to, or farther from the desired distance with respect to the target surface.

16. A positioning system for a spray gun comprising:

a. an ultrasonic range finder located in a spray gun and providing a signal indicative of a distance measured between the spray gun and a target surface at which the gun is aimed; and

b. a range indicator connected to the signal provided by the ultrasonic range finder to provide a perceptible indication of the distance measured.

17. The positioning system of claim 16 wherein the perceptible indication provided by the ultrasonic range finder freezes when the spray gun is spraying.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the range finder is active when the spray gun is connected to a source of electricity.

19. The positioning system of claim 16 wherein the perceptible indication of the distance measured includes a first state corresponding to a condition wherein the distance measured equals a desired distance to the target surface.

20. The positioning system of claim 19 wherein the perceptible indication of the distance measured includes a second state corresponding to a condition wherein the distance measured is less than a desired distance to the target surface.

21. The positioning system of claim 19 wherein the perceptible indication of the distance measured includes a third state corresponding to a condition wherein the distance measured is greater than a desired distance to the target surface.

22. The positioning system of claim 16 wherein the range indicator provides the perceptible indication in a visible form.

23. The positioning system of claim 22 wherein the range indicator provides a visually perceptible digital display of the distance measured.

24. The positioning system of claim 23 wherein the visually perceptible digital display is a numerical readout of the distance measured.

25. The positioning system of claim 23 wherein the visually perceptible digital display is a bar graph display of the distance measured.